Fire destroys four businesses in Livingston Manor

A huge blaze broke out in the Hoos Building in Livingston Manor at about 3:30 p.m on November 20. The building housed the popular eatery The Lazy Beagle, as well as the businesses Willow and Brown, Moose be Morning and Hot Corner Collectibles.

Residents said there was a series of several explosions early on, which may have been caused by exploding propane tanks. Witnesses said the blaze spread quickly to all of the stores.

Electricity was shut off throughout the hamlet for a while, and Main Street was closed to traffic for several hours. By 7:20, the power had been restored to most areas.

At about 6:30 p.m. a firefighter said that because the building was next to a sidewalk, it would have to be taken down completely, and officials were seeking equipment to perform the task.

A post on the Lazy Beagle's Facebook page said, "We regret to inform you that the Lazy Beagle entered into mortality on Nov. 20, 2012. We are grateful no one lost their life and we are especially grateful to our amazing customers who made it worth going to work every day. We are unsure if...there were injuries, as the debris field was quite extensive and we are hoping and praying that everyone is unharmed. We'll keep you posted. For now, thank you so much for the outpouring of support. You have no idea how we appreciate it."

The restaurant was owned by Ryan Foster, and the building was owned by his father Barry Foster.